Augmented reality applications may use a simple overlay of graphical/animated subject matter on live or recorded video or still images. In these simple systems, a user or application may position a static graphic, text, or other visual element superimposed on the underlying video or image. Other augmented reality applications may blend augmented reality subject matter with underlying visual data, or at least use the underlying visual data to position the augmented reality subject matter. For example, a human face may be recognized in a video feed or image still, and the augmented reality application may apply coloration, designs, distortions, etc. that track only the face in the video or image, so as to further the augmented reality effect that the face actually has such characteristics.
Aside from human faces, other objects and/or image information for tracking and/or formatting augmented reality subject matter may be used. For example, a QR code may be recognized as a target for augmented reality overlay, both in subject matter and positioning of the augmented reality subject matter. Similarly, a zoom level of a video feed may determine sizing and/or resolution of augmented reality subject matter on the zoomed video. Still further, augmented reality subject matter may be added and/or formatted after video or image capture, following further processing of the video and/or image data.
Augmented reality subject matter is typically provided by the application receiving the visual data. For example, an application may offer a set of stickers, labels, drawn text, cartoons, etc. that can be applied to live or captured visual information and then saved together with the visual data as an augmented reality visual. Or, for example, a set of facial overlays, game images and objectives, graphical head-ups displays or GUIs, etc. can be offered by augmented reality applications for overlay/intermixing with visual data to created augmented reality visuals for users. Augmented reality subject matter may be geofenced or chronofenced, where various labels, game characters, filters, distortions, and/or any other augmented reality application may only be available at particular locations and times. For example, a picture overlay of “San Antonio Tex.” or “Spurs 24—Pacers 32” may be available only when a user is determined to be in San Antonio through location services on a mobile device, and/or only during a Spurs-Pacers game when the score is 24 to 32.